Image forming apparatus, image printing method, external device, recording medium and communication system

ABSTRACT

An image forming apparatus receives image data by a receiver from an external device and forms an image based on the received image data. The image forming apparatus transmits an address of the receiver to the external device. The image forming apparatus receives image data transmitted with the address by the external device. The communication between the external device and the image forming apparatus is performed wirelessly. The image forming apparatus prints image data in accordance with an accepted printing condition.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.13/952,549, filed on Jul. 26, 2013, which is a divisional of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/865,667, filed on Apr. 18, 2013, which is adivisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/655,997 filed on Jan. 12,2010 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent ApplicationNo. 2009-017209 filed in Japan on Jan. 28, 2009, the entire contents ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an imageprinting method that receives image data and forms an image, an externaldevice that transmits image data, a recording medium that records aprogram executed by the external device, and a communication system thatincludes the image forming apparatus and the external device.

2. Description of Related art

Mobile phones with camera function have lately become very popular andone can easily shoot a digital photo any time and anywhere. Also, themobile phones have come to carry a large-capacity memory, whichencourages the use of the mobile phone as a personal storage device forstoring therein data such as the digital photos and business letters.Moreover, with the reduction in size and thickness of the mobile phone,so-called a card-type memory of a fingertip size, or even smaller, hascome to be widely employed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-267370 (hereinafter,publicly known literature 1) discloses a wireless communication methodarranged such that when a user brings his/her non-contact ID card (or awireless communication device incorporated therein with the non-contactID card) close to a card reader-writer unit of an image processor, an ICchip in the non-contact ID card receives weak radio wave bearing theterminal ID indicating the ID of the image processor, being constantlyoutputted from the card reader-writer unit, to thereby acquire theterminal ID, and transmits the user ID of the non-contact ID card to theimage processor utilizing the terminal ID.

Likewise, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-32176(hereinafter, publicly known literature 2) discloses a communicationsystem in which a mobile phone includes a non-contact IC card thatcommunicates with a reader-writer of a personal computer viaelectromagnetic wave, and when a user brings the mobile phone close tothe personal computer so that the non-contact IC card receives theelectromagnetic wave radiated from the reader-writer, the mobile phonenotifies the card ID specified in the non-contact IC card to thepersonal computer, and the personal computer identifies the mobile phonebased on the card ID thus notified, and recognizes the mobile phone asthe communication counterpart.

SUMMARY

Meanwhile, methods whereby the user prints data stored in the memory ofthe mobile phone, such as a digital photo and a business letter, includeconnecting the memory of the mobile phone to a reading unit of an imageforming apparatus for transmitting thereto the data to be printed, andwirelessly transmitting the data to be printed to an image Banningapparatus capable of executing wireless data transmission/reception withthe mobile phone.

In the case of directly connecting the memory of the mobile phone to thereading unit of the image forming apparatus, the user has to take outthe card-type memory from the mobile phone and insert it into the memorycard reader of the image forming apparatus. Besides, when the printingis completed the user has to insert the card-type memory back into themobile phone. Thus, troublesome procedures have to be performed and thecard-type memory may be left unremoved from the memory card reader ofthe image forming apparatus after the printing.

For the wireless transmission of the data to be printed to the imageforming apparatus, for example Bluetooth® technology or RFID (RadioFrequency Identification) system may be employed, and alternativelyinfrared communication may be performed between the mobile phone and theimage forming apparatus.

When executing the wireless communication based on the Bluetooth®technology, it is necessary to set the both devices mutuallycommunicatable (certification). For example, in the case where themobile phone and the image forming apparatus are bothBluetooth®-compatible and the wireless communication based on theBluetooth® technology is to be performed, it is necessary to execute asetting operation so-called pairing (or bonding), to allow therespective devices to identify the counterpart and to make mutualcommunication.

However, the pairing requires complicated and troublesome procedures.For example, when the user wants to print image data in the memory ofthe mobile phone with the image forming apparatus, the user has toretrieve through the mobile phone those image forming apparatus capableof performing the wireless communication in a predetermined radius (forinstance, 100 mm), and distinguish the Bluetooth address of the imageforming apparatus among the Bluetooth addresses of the plurality ofimage forming apparatuses listed on the display unit of the mobile phoneas a result of the retrieval, however such distinction is verydifficult. Besides, the distinction process still has to be followed byfinely specified procedures to set the both devices mutuallycommunicable. In addition, in the case where the image forming apparatusis a leased one installed in a convenience store, most of the users arenew to the device and therefore the pairing has to be performed eachtime to thereby newly start up the wireless communication.

In the case of the infrared communication between the mobile phone andthe image forming apparatus, the user has to carry out such troublesomeoperation as holding the mobile phone for a predetermined time, with theinfrared port of the mobile phone and that of the image formingapparatus being set to oppose each other, while the data to be printedis wirelessly transmitted.

Further, in the case of the wireless communication based on the RFIDsystem such as Felica® or Edy®, since the communication speed is slow,the mobile phone has to be held up over the image forming apparatus fora predetermined time, for wirelessly transmitting the data to beprinted.

The wireless communication method according to the publicly knownliterature 1 and the communication system according to the publiclyknown literature 2 are known as the method for simplifying the foregoingoperation. More specifically, the wireless communication methodaccording to the publicly known literature 1, and the communicationsystem according to the publicly known literature 2 both employ what isknown as the RFID system, so that the user ID in the non-contact ID card(card ID of the non-contact IC card) is automatically transmitted to theimage processor (personal computer), when the non-contact ID card(non-contact IC card) is brought close to the card reader-writer unit ofthe image processor (reader-writer of the personal computer). Thewireless communication method according to the publicly known literature1 and the communication system according to the publicly knownliterature 2, however, have a drawback in terms of security. Forexample, the RFID system is widely employed in the daily lifecircumstances such as electronic payment at a station entrance and aconvenience store, and personal ID certification, and hence in the casewhere the non-contact ID card according to the publicly known literature1 (non-contact IC card according to the publicly known literature 2) isbrought close to a reader-writer prepared for a different purpose, theuser ID in the non-contact ID card (card ID of the non-contact IC card)may be automatically transmitted to the reader-writer irrespective ofthe user's intention and confidential information may leak, which mayeven provoke an illegal access utilizing the user ID (card ID) that hasleaked.

The present invention has been accomplished in view of the foregoingsituation, with an object to provide an image forming apparatus, animage printing method, an external device, a recording medium and acommunication system that allow skipping troublesome operation forset-up (certification) such as the pairing, and is capable of preventingleakage of confidential information from an electronic apparatus.

The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has areceiver for receiving image data from an external device and forms animage based on the received image data, comprising a transmitter thattransmits an address of the receiver to the external device, wherein thereceiver receives image data transmitted with the address by theexternal device, a communication between the external device and theimage forming apparatus is performed wirelessly, and image data isprinted in accordance with an accepted printing condition.

The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has areceiver for receiving contents data from an external device and formsan image based on the received image data, comprising a transmitter thattransmits an address of the receiver to the external device, wherein thereceiver receives contents data transmitted with the address by theexternal device, a communication between the external device and theimage forming apparatus is performed wirelessly, and contents data isprinted in accordance with an accepted printing condition.

The present invention provides a recording medium recording a programexecuted by an external device that wirelessly communicates with animage forming apparatus which has a receiver for receiving contents datafrom the external device and a transmitter for transmitting an addressof the receiver to the external device, makes the receiver receivecontents data transmitted with the address by the external device, andforms an image based on the received contents data, wherein the externaldevice is controlled to perform processing of: reading out contents datastored in a storage unit; and transmitting the read out contents data tothe image forming apparatus with the address transmitted by thetransmitter of the image forming apparatus.

The present invention provides image printing method with an imageforming apparatus that has a receiver for receiving image data from anexternal device and forms an image based on the received image data,comprising steps of: making the image forming apparatus utilize atransmitter to transmit an address of the receiver to the externaldevice; making the image forming apparatus utilize the receiver toreceive image data transmitted with the address by the external device;performing a wireless communication between the external device and theimage forming apparatus; and making the image forming apparatus printthe received image data.

The present invention provides a communication system comprising anexternal device and an image forming apparatus that has a receiver forreceiving image data from the external device and forms an image basedon the received image data, wherein the image forming apparatuscomprises a transmitter that transmits an address of the receiver to theexternal device, the image forming apparatus utilizes the receiver toreceive image data transmitted with the address by the external device,a communication between the external device and the image formingapparatus is performed wirelessly, and the image forming apparatusfurther comprises a printing unit that prints the image data received bythe receiver.

The present invention provides an external device wirelesslycommunicating with an image forming apparatus that has a receiver forreceiving image data from the external device and a transmitter fortransmitting an address of the receiver to the external device, makesthe receiver receive image data transmitted with the address by theexternal device, and forms an image based on the received image data,comprising a reading out unit that reads out image data stored in astorage unit; and an image data transmitter that transmits the read outimage data to the image forming apparatus with the address transmittedby the transmitter of the image forming apparatus.

The present invention provides a recording medium recording a programexecuted by an external device that wirelessly communicates with animage forming apparatus which has a receiver for receiving image datafrom the external device and a transmitter for transmitting an addressof the receiver to the external device, makes the receiver receive imagedata transmitted with the address by the external device, and forms animage based on the received image data, wherein the external device iscontrolled to perform processing of: reading out image data stored in astorage unit; and transmitting the read out image data to the imageforming apparatus with the address transmitted by the transmitter of theimage forming apparatus.

The above and further objects and features of the invention will morefully be apparent from the following detailed description withaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a concept of a communication system andan information processing system according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an essential structure of thecommunication system and the information processing system according tothe first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure to be executed by a CPU of acontrol unit of an image forming apparatus, in the communication systemand the information processing system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is the flowchart showing a procedure to be executed by the CPU ofthe control unit of the image forming apparatus, in the communicationsystem and the information processing system according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure to be executed by a CPU of acontrol unit of a mobile phone, in the communication system and theinformation processing system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining a structure of a flash memoryof the mobile phone, in the communication system and the informationprocessing system according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a list screen of file names displayedon a display unit of the image forming apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure to be executed by a CPU of acontrol unit of an image forming apparatus, in a communication systemand an information processing system according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure to be executed by a CPU of acontrol unit of a mobile phone, in the communication system and theinformation processing system according to the second embodiment; and

FIG. 10 is a front view of the mobile phone for explaining an operationfor selecting a file to be printed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereunder, a first embodiment of the present invention will be describedin details referring to the drawings, based on the case where the imageforming apparatus (electronic apparatus) is exemplified by a digitalmultifunction machine with copying, printing and other functions, andwhere the communication system and the information processing systemaccording to the present invention includes the digital multifunctionmachine and a mobile phone (communication device, external device) asconstituents.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a concept of the communication systemand the information processing system according to the first embodimentaccording to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagramshowing an essential structure of the communication system and theinformation processing system according to the first embodiment. Thecommunication system and the information processing system according tothe first embodiment include an image forming apparatus 1 and a mobilephone 2.

The image forming apparatus 1 includes hardware devices such as acontrol unit 11, an image input unit 17, an image processor 18, an imageoutput unit 19, a storage unit 14, a wireless communication unit 16, areader-writer 15, and an operation panel 12, and constitutes a digitalmultifunction machine as a whole.

The control unit 11 includes a CPU that controls those hardware devices,and a RAM that temporarily stores therein such data that are necessaryfor controlling. The storage unit 14 is, for example, a non-volatilesemiconductor memory, and stores therein image data for imageprocessing, control programs for controlling the respective hardwaredevices, a program for displaying a file list screen which will bedescribed later, image data received through the wireless communicationunit 16, and so forth. In the storage unit 14, a plurality of passkeysare stored in advance, so that in the case where the CPU of the controlunit 11 receives the passkey through operation panels 28, 12, the CPUcompares the received passkey with the passkey stored in advance in thestorage unit 14.

Also, the control unit 11 loads the control program from the storageunit 14 when necessary, and executes the loaded control program tothereby activate the overall apparatus as the image forming apparatusaccording to the present invention.

The operation panel 12 includes various buttons for inputtinginstructions of the user, an enter key for validating the instruction,ten-keys, and so on. The operation panel 12 also includes a display unit13 constituted of an LCD for example, to thereby display a list of filenames (contents data) of images, compositions and so on stored in themobile phone 2. Here, the display unit 13 is provided with a touch panelfunction.

The image input unit 17 is a reading unit that optically reads an imageof a source document, and includes a light source that emits light tothe document to be read, an image sensor such as a charge-coupled device(CCD), and so forth. The image input unit 17 forms an image on the imagesensor from the reflected light image of the document set at apredetermined position, and outputs analog electrical signalsrepresenting the RGB colors (Red, Green, Blue). The analog electricalsignals outputted by the image input unit 17 are inputted to the imageprocessor 18.

The image output unit 19 forms an image on a sheet such as paper, an OHPfilm, based on the image data outputted from the image processor 18. Todo so, the image output unit 19 includes a photoconductive drum, acharger that charges the photoconductive drum to a predeterminedpotential, a laser writer that emits a laser beam based on the imagedata received from outside so as to form a static latent image on thephotoconductive drum, a developing device that supplies a toner to thestatic latent image formed on the photoconductive drum surface, tothereby visualize the image, and a transfer unit that transfers thetoner image formed on the photoconductive drum surface to a paper (notshown), and employs an electronic photography process to form the imagerequired by the user on the sheet. Here, the image formation may beperformed through an inkjet process, a thermal transfer process, or asublimation process, instead of the electronic photography utilizing thelaser writer.

The image processor 18 generates digital image data based on an analogelectrical signal inputted through the image input unit 17, andgenerates the image data for outputting after processing according tothe type of the image. The image data thus generated is outputted to theimage output unit 19 or the wireless communication unit 16.

The wireless communication unit 16 is compatible with the Bluetooth®technology for example, and achieves wireless connection with anotherBluetooth-compatible device (for example, wireless communication unit 27to be described later) located within a predetermined short range (forinstance, 100 mm). To be more detailed, the Bluetooth-compatible devicehas its exclusive Bluetooth address (identification data), and executesan identification process (certification), called pairing, with aconnection counterpart based on the Bluetooth address of each otherthrough a short-range ad hoc network called piconet, to thereby enablewireless connection and communication with the counterpartBluetooth-compatible device. The piconet is dynamically andautomatically built up and cancelled, each time that the counterpartBluetooth-compatible device enters the predetermined range and goes outof that range. The wireless communication unit 16 may also be a devicecompatible with IEEE802.11, instead of the Bluetooth-compatible device.In this case, however, the wireless communication unit 27 to besubsequently described, which acts as the counterpart of the wirelesscommunication unit 16, also has to be compatible with IEEE802.11.

The reader-writer 15 transmits and receives data to and from acontact/non-contact IC card 26 to be subsequently described, with orwithout mutual contact, based on what is known as a non-contactcommunication system (Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system).Hereunder, explanation will be given on the non-contact communicationsystem between the reader-writer 15 and the contact/non-contact IC card26. The reader-writer 15 constantly emits an activation signal(electromagnetic wave), so that when the contact/non-contact IC card 26and the reader-writer 15 come close enough to each other to makecommunication, the contact/non-contact IC card 26 receives theelectromagnetic wave emitted by the reader-writer 15. Thecontact/non-contact IC card 26 rectifies, upon receipt of theelectromagnetic wave, the carrier wave of the electromagnetic wave tothereby generate a DC power source, which is utilized for driving aninternal circuit. The contact/non-contact IC card 26 then modulates theamplitude and transmits a response signal corresponding to theactivation signal. A RFID system such as Felica®, or Edy® may beemployed. The reader-writer 15 transmits the exclusive Bluetooth address(identification data) of the wireless communication unit 16 to thecontact/non-contact IC card 26.

The mobile phone 2 includes a control unit 21 including a CPU thatcontrols the entire device, a ROM that stores therein programs andvarious data, and a RAM that accepts high-speed writing and reading, anda large-capacity flash memory 24 for storing therein phone numbers,image data and so forth. The flash memory 24 also stores therein datasuch as a list (contents data) of images and documents in the mobilephone 2, thumbnails of the images and so on.

The mobile phone 2 also includes a base station communication unit 25with a communication interface for communicating with a base station, anoperation panel 28 including press buttons for accepting user'soperation, a camera for acquiring an image by photoshooting, an inputunit 23 including a microphone for receiving an input of a sound, and anoutput unit 22 such as an LCD monitor on which an image is outputted ora speaker that outputs a sound.

The mobile phone 2 further includes the contact/non-contact IC card 26and the wireless communication unit 27. The contact/non-contact IC card26 serves to transmit and receive data to and from the reader-writer 15with or without mutual contact, based on what is known as thenon-contact communication process. In this case also, Felica® or Edy®system may be adopted. The wireless communication unit 27 is, as statedearlier, compatible with, for example, the Bluetooth® technology, andexecutes wireless connection and communication with anotherBluetooth-compatible device (for example, wireless communication unit16) when such another Bluetooth-compatible device is within thepredetermined short range (for instance, 100 mm).

Hereunder, description will be given on the communication process andthe image formation process, to be executed by the image formingapparatus 1 and the mobile phone 2 based on the communication system andthe information processing system according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention. The following description represents the casewhere a digital multifunction machine, which exemplifies the imageforming apparatus 1 according to the present invention, is employed toprint an image based on the image data stored in the user's mobile phone2.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are flowcharts showing a procedure to be executed bythe CPU of the control unit 11 of the image forming apparatus 1, andFIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure to be executed by the CPU ofthe control unit 21 of the mobile phone 2. As already stated, the imageforming apparatus 1 and the mobile phone 2 are both Bluetooth-compatibledevices, in the communication system and the information processingsystem according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

The CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 decides whether the mobilephone 2 is close within the predetermined range (step S101). As statedearlier, the image forming apparatus 1 includes the reader-writer 15,and the mobile phone 2 includes the contact/non-contact IC card 26. Thereader-writer 15 of the image forming apparatus 1 constantly emits theactivation signal (electromagnetic wave), so that, for example, when theuser holds up the mobile phone 2 over the reader-writer 15 of the imageforming apparatus 1, contact/non-contact IC card 26 of the mobile phone2 emits the response signal corresponding to the activation signal tothe reader-writer 15, through the foregoing process. The CPU of theimage forming apparatus 1 decides that the mobile phone 2 is closewithin the predetermined range upon receipt of the response signal.

In the case where the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 decides thatthe mobile phone 2 is not located within the predetermined range (stepS101: NO), the CPU waits until the mobile phone 2 enters thepredetermined range. Upon deciding that the mobile phone 2 is closewithin the predetermined range (step S101: YES), the CPU of the imageforming apparatus 1 reads out the Bluetooth address of the wirelesscommunication unit 16 (hereinafter, image forming apparatus-sideaddress) and transmits the address to the reader-writer 15, and thereader-writer 15 transmits the image forming apparatus-side address(identification data) to the contact/non-contact IC card 26 of themobile phone 2 (step S102).

Meanwhile, the CPU of the mobile phone 2 monitors thecontact/non-contact IC card 26, to thereby decide whether the imageforming apparatus-side address has been received (step S201). In thecase where the CPU of the mobile phone 2 decides that the image formingapparatus-side address has not been received (step S201: NO), the CPUwaits until the image forming apparatus-side address is received. Upondeciding that the image forming apparatus-side address has been received(step S201: YES), the CPU of the mobile phone 2 stores the receivedimage forming apparatus-side address in a memory region of thecontact/non-contact IC card 26.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of the flashmemory 24. The memory region of the contact/non-contact IC card 26includes a common region 26B and a private region 26A (free area). Thereceived image forming apparatus-side address (identification data) iswritten in the private region 26A of the contact/non-contact IC card 26.The private region 26A is a region that a service provider can freelyutilize. Utilizing the private region 26A enables the writing with ahigher degree of freedom. Although the data can also be written in thecommon region, in this case a remote publishing system of the cardnetworks has to be utilized, which leads to the drawback that the degreeof freedom in writing is reduced.

The CPU of the mobile phone 2 then requests the pairing to the imageforming apparatus 1 (step S202). To make the pairing request, thewireless communication unit 27 of the mobile phone 2 transmits theBluetooth address of the wireless communication unit 27 (hereinafter,mobile phone-side address) and data to the effect of requesting thepairing, to the wireless communication unit 16 of the image formingapparatus 1, utilizing the image forming apparatus-side address.

Meanwhile, the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 monitors thewireless communication unit 16, to thereby decide whether the pairingrequest has been received from the mobile phone 2 (step S103). In thecase where the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 decides that thepairing request has not been received (step S103: NO), the CPU waitsuntil the pairing request is received from the mobile phone 2. The CPUof the image forming apparatus 1 displays, upon deciding that thepairing request has been received (step S103: YES), a passkey inputscreen on the display unit 13 of the operation panel 12, thus requestingthe user to input the passkey through the mobile phone 2 (step S104).

The CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 accepts the passkey inputted bythe user through the operation panel 28 (or the touch panel of thedisplay unit 13), and compares the passkey with a passkey stored inadvance in the storage unit 14, so that the communication is establishedupon deciding that the passkey is correct. In other words, at this stagethe pairing is completed, and the image forming apparatus 1 and themobile phone 2 are made communicatable with each other. Then the CPU ofthe image forming apparatus 1 transmits data to the effect of requestinga list of file names of images, compositions and so on in the mobilephone 2, to the mobile phone 2 through the wireless communication unit16 (step S105).

Once the wireless communication unit 27 receives the data to the effectof requesting the list of file names from the image forming apparatus 1,the CPU of the mobile phone 2 reads out the list of file names ofimages, compositions and so on stored in the flash memory 24, andtransmits the list to the image forming apparatus 1 through the wirelesscommunication unit 27 (step S203).

The CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 acquires the data of list offile names transmitted from the mobile phone 2 by receiving through thewireless communication unit 16 (step S106), and stores the data in thestorage unit 14. The CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 then displaysthe file list screen on the display unit 13 for user's selection of thefile to be printed, based on the file list data stored in the storageunit 14 (step S107).

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the list screen of file names displayedon the display unit 13 of the image forming apparatus 1. The list screenof file names displays in a scrollable manner a plurality of file namesbased on the data of list of file names, as well as a thumbnail of thefile selected by the user by manipulating the operation panel 12 or thedisplay unit 13 (touch panel). The list screen of file names alsodisplays soft keys such as “number of copies” and “magnification”, tothereby accept the user's instruction on the number of copies to beprinted and level of magnification. After selecting the file to beprinted and inputting the printing instructions, the user presses thesoft key of “print”, thus instructing to start printing. In this case,since the operation is performed on the larger display unit 13 of theimage forming apparatus 1 instead of the small LCD monitor screen of themobile phone 2, the image reference and the key manipulation can beeasily done.

The CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 monitors the operation panel 12and the touch panel of the display unit 13, to thereby decide whetherthe user's file selection has been received (step S108). In the casewhere the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 decides that the fileselection has not been received (step S108: NO), the CPU waits until thefile selection is received from the user. The CPU of the image formingapparatus 1 then decides, upon deciding that the user's file selectionhas been received (step S108: YES), whether the printing instruction hasbeen received from the user (step S109). Such decision is made throughmonitoring the operation panel 12 and the touch panel of the displayunit 13, by the CPU.

In the case where the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 decides thatthe printing instruction has not been received (step S109: NO), the CPUwaits until the printing instruction is received from the user. Upondeciding that the printing instruction has been received from the user(step S109: YES), the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 requests themobile phone 2 to provide the image data corresponding to the selectedfile (step S110). Such request is made through transmitting data to theeffect of requesting the transmission of the image data of the selectedfile, to the mobile phone 2 through the wireless communication unit 16.

Meanwhile, the CPU of the mobile phone 2 monitors the wirelesscommunication unit 27, to thereby decide whether the transmissionrequest of the image data of the selected file has been received fromthe image forming apparatus 1 (step S204). In the case where the CPU ofthe mobile phone 2 decides that the transmission request of the imagedata of the selected file has not been received (step S204: NO), the CPUwaits until the transmission request of the image data of the selectedfile is received. Then upon deciding that the transmission request ofthe image data of the selected file has been received (step 5204: YES),the CPU of the mobile phone 2 reads out the image data of the selectedfile from the flash memory 24, and transmits the image data to the imageforming apparatus 1 through the wireless communication unit 27 (stepS205).

Once the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 receives the image data ofthe selected file from the mobile phone 2 through the wirelesscommunication unit 16 (step S111), the CPU stores the image data in thestorage unit 14. The CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 then transmitsthe image data stored in the storage unit 14 to the image output unit 19and instructs the image output unit 19 to print the image based on theimage data, thereby printing the image based on the image data (stepS112). Through the printing process, the CPU of the image formingapparatus 1 transmits data to the effect of notifying the printingresult, such that the printing has been normally completed, or that anabnormality has arisen, to the mobile phone 2 through the wirelesscommunication unit 16 (step S113).

The CPU of the mobile phone 2 acquires the data to the effect ofnotifying the printing result from the image forming apparatus 1,through the wireless communication unit 27 (step S206), and stores thedata in the flash memory 24. The CPU of the mobile phone 2 then outputsthe data to the effect of notifying the printing result stored in theflash memory 24, through the output unit 22 (step S207). Such outputtingmay be performed, for example, by displaying a text notifying theprinting result on the LCD monitor of the mobile phone 2, or byoutputting a voice or an alarm notifying the printing result through thespeaker of the mobile phone 2.

As described throughout the foregoing passages, the communication systemand the information processing system according to the present inventionare designed such that the image forming apparatus-side address isreceived from the image forming apparatus 1 and the user utilizes theimage forming apparatus-side address to transmit the data to the imageforming apparatus 1, and therefore can prevent leakage of confidentialinformation relevant to the mobile phone 2 such as the address andpasskey, unintended by the user.

The first embodiment exemplifies the case where the user manually inputsthe passkey for assured accuracy in setting the passkey, however in thecase where simplicity in operation is a prior factor the delivery of thepasskey may be performed through the reader-writer 15 of the imageforming apparatus 1 and the contact/non-contact IC card 26 of the mobilephone 2.

Here, in the case of those devices not designed for inputting thepasskey (mouse, headset, and the like), the passkey may be set as afixed value, or the system may exclude the need to input the passkey.For the device not designed for inputting the passkey; for example apasskey of simple digits such as “0000” may be set as a default value.

Second Embodiment

Hereunder, description will be given on a communication process and animage formation process of the image forming apparatus 1 and the mobilephone 2 to be performed by the communication system and the informationprocessing system according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention. The following description represents the case where a digitalmultifunction machine, which exemplifies the image forming apparatus 1according to the present invention, is employed to print an image basedon the image data stored in the user's mobile phone 2. In thecommunication system and the information processing system according tothe second embodiment of the present invention, the delivery of thepasskey is performed through the reader-writer 15 of the image formingapparatus 1 and the contact/non-contact IC card 26 of the mobile phone2. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure to be executed by the CPUof the control unit 11 of the image forming apparatus 1, and FIG. 9 is aflowchart showing a procedure to be executed by the CPU of the controlunit 21 of the mobile phone 2.

First, the user of the mobile phone 2 manipulates the mobile phone 2 soas to select a file to be printed (step S401). FIG. 10 is a front viewof the mobile phone 2 for explaining an operation for selecting the fileto be printed. On the LCD monitor (output unit 22) of the mobile phone2, thumbnails of image data stored in the flash memory 24 are displayed,for selection of one of the thumbnails by operating a key (operationpanel 28 including press buttons and so on) thereby moving a cursor.Upon selecting a desired thumbnail, the name of the file represented bythe selected thumbnail (hereinafter, selected file) and a larger imagethan the thumbnail are displayed on the output unit 22. Then the userholds up the mobile phone 2, on which the file to be printed has beenselected, over the reader-writer 15 of the image forming apparatus 1.

Meanwhile, the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 decides whether themobile phone 2 is close within the predetermined range, by the methoddescribed earlier (step S301). In the case where the CPU of the imageforming apparatus 1 decides that the mobile phone 2 is not locatedwithin the predetermined range (step S301: NO), the CPU waits until themobile phone 2 enters the predetermined range. The CPU of the imageforming apparatus 1 reads out, upon deciding that the mobile phone 2 isclose within the predetermined range (step S301: YES), the Bluetoothaddress of the wireless communication unit 16 (hereinafter, imageforming apparatus-side address) and the passkey, and transmits theaddress and the passkey to the reader-writer 15, and the reader-writer15 transmits the image forming apparatus-side address to thecontact/non-contact IC card 26 of the mobile phone 2 (step S302).

The CPU of the mobile phone 2 monitors the contact/non-contact IC card26, to thereby decide whether the image forming apparatus-side addressand the passkey have been received (step S402). In the case where theCPU of the mobile phone 2 decides that the image forming apparatus-sideaddress and the passkey have not been received (step S402: NO), the CPUwaits until the image forming apparatus-side address and the passkey arereceived. Upon deciding that the image forming apparatus-side addressand the passkey have been received (step S402: YES), the CPU of themobile phone 2 stores the received image forming apparatus-side addressand the passkey in the flash memory 24. Then the CPU of the mobile phone2 reads out the image data of the selected file from the flash memory24, and transmits the data to the image forming apparatus 1 through thewireless communication unit 27, utilizing the image formingapparatus-side address and the passkey (step S403).

Once the CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 receives the image data ofthe selected file from the mobile phone 2 through the wirelesscommunication unit 16 (step S303), the CPU stores the image data in thestorage unit 14. The CPU of the image forming apparatus 1 then transmitsthe image data stored in the storage unit 14 to the image output unit19, and instructs the image output unit 19 to print the image based onthe image data (step S304). Through the printing process, the CPU of theimage forming apparatus 1 transmits data to the effect of notifying theprinting result, such that the printing has been normally completed, orthat an abnormality has arisen, to the mobile phone 2 through thewireless communication unit 16 (step S305).

The CPU of the mobile phone 2 acquires the data to the effect ofnotifying the printing result from the image forming apparatus 1,through the wireless communication unit 27 (step S404), and stores thedata in the flash memory 24. The CPU of the mobile phone 2 then outputsthe data to the effect of notifying the printing result stored in theflash memory 24, through the output unit 22 (step S405).

The foregoing configuration of the communication system and theinformation processing system according to the second embodiment allowsimmediately printing the image simply by bringing the mobile phone 2, onwhich the file to be printed has been selected, close to the imageforming apparatus 1, thus significantly simplifying the printingprocess.

The same constituents as those of the first embodiment are given thesame numerals and detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

Although the communication system, the information processing system,the image forming apparatus and the portable information terminal deviceaccording to the present invention have been described referring to thedigital multifunction machine (image forming apparatus 1) and the mobilephone 2 as examples, the present invention is not limited to suchcombination. For example, the mobile phone may be replaced with adigital camera with a communication function, or instead a mobilecomputer or a portable terminal called PDA. Also, instead oftransmitting the data from the mobile phone, image data read out by ascanner of the digital multifunction machine may be transmitted to themobile phone. The present invention may further be applied totransmission of facsimile image data or electronic data stored in thestorage device of the digital multifunction machine to the mobile phone.Further, between devices each including two or more communication unitsfor mutual communication, for example as the reader-writer 15 and thewireless communication unit 16 of the digital multifunction machine(image forming apparatus 1), and as the contact/non-contact IC card 26and the wireless communication unit 27 of the mobile phone 2, theadvantages of the present invention can equally be achieved.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit of essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than bythe description preceding them, and all changes that fall within metesand bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and boundsthereof are therefore intended to be embraced by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus that receives datafrom an external device and forms an image based on the received data,comprising: a wireless communication unit that receives data sent fromthe external device, wherein when a thumbnail associated with data of animage is selected by a user of the external device, the selected data ofthe image is displayed at the external device for recognition, theselected data of the image is sent from the external device, and thewireless communication unit receives the selected data of the image, andwherein after the thumbnail is selected, the selected data of the imageis sent to the wireless communication unit in a state of the selecteddata of the image being displayed larger than the thumbnail displayedprior to the selection.
 2. A communication system that has an externaldevice and has an image forming apparatus which comprises a wirelesscommunication unit receiving data from the external device and whichforms an image based on the received data, wherein the external devicecomprises: a display that displays a thumbnail associated with data ofan image to be selected by a user of the external device; and a wirelesscommunication unit that sends the selected data of the image to theimage forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus receivesthe selected data of the image through the wireless communication unitwhen the selected data of the image is sent from the external device,and wherein after the thumbnail is selected, the selected data of theimage is sent to the wireless communication unit in a state of theselected data of the image being displayed larger than the thumbnaildisplayed prior to the selection.
 3. A communication method with anexternal device and with an image forming apparatus that includes awireless communication unit receiving data from the external device andforms an image based on the received data, wherein when a thumbnailassociated with data of an image is selected by a user of the externaldevice, the selected data of the image is displayed at the externaldevice for recognition, the selected data of the image is sent from theexternal device, the wireless communication unit receives the selecteddata of the image, and wherein after the thumbnail is selected, theselected data of the image is sent to the wireless communication unit ina state of the selected data of the image being displayed larger thanthe thumbnail displayed prior to the selection.
 4. An external devicethat communicates wirelessly to an image forming apparatus whichcomprises a wireless communication unit receiving data from the externaldevice, which makes the wireless communication unit receive data sentfrom the external device, and which forms an image based on the receiveddata, comprising: a display that displays a thumbnail associated withdata of an image to be selected by a user of the external device; and awireless communication unit that sends the selected data of the image tothe image forming apparatus, wherein after the thumbnail is selected,the selected data of the image is sent to the wireless communicationunit in a state of the selected data of the image being displayed largerthan the thumbnail displayed prior to the selection.
 5. The externaldevice according to claim 4, wherein the external device is a mobilephone.
 6. A non-transitory recording medium recording a program executedby an external device that communicates wirelessly to an image formingapparatus which comprises a wireless communication unit receiving datafrom the external device, which makes the wireless communication unitreceive data sent from the external device, and which forms an imagebased on the received data, wherein the program causes the externaldevice to execute displaying a thumbnail associated with data of animage stored in a storage to be selected by a user of the externaldevice, wherein the program causes the external device to executesending the selected data of the image to the image forming apparatus,and wherein after the thumbnail is selected, the selected data of theimage is sent to the wireless communication unit in a state of theselected data of the image being displayed larger than the thumbnaildisplayed prior to the selection.